On an early Spring night in 1991, Sophie and Crow slip away from a rowdy high school party and drift into the woods, buzzing with anticipation. Tonight, for the first time, they will make love. But an hour later, Sophie is lying unconscious in the dirt, and Crow is crashing through the underbrush, hurling himself into the river to hide from the police, and then staggering home...alone. Despite Crow's frantic claims of innocence, evidence at the scene suggests his guilt. And Sophie, by now awake in the hospital, refuses to speak.

How did this idyllic evening turn into such a nightmare? Who really attacked Sophie, and what made Crow flee? And how does this violent incident in a seemingly placid Tennessee town reverberate throughout the community? These are the questions that pulse through THE SLOW MOON (Random House; August 8, 2006) and with each answer comes a new set of questions.

Elizabeth Cox's vibrant and lyrical narrative revisits the events leading up to the fateful night, then shows how the tragedy reverberates throughout the community-- among parents, friends, teachers, and neighbors-all connected to the young lovers, all with a stake in what happens next. As growing suspicions divide the town, a closer look reveals that everyone has something to hide.

A compelling and passionate page-turner THE SLOW MOON is a haunting story of innocence lost, lives betrayed, and the courage required to face the truth.